fires and some are still raging why do you think it all happened on such a scale. that washed up so. on those are the key reason for all this of course is the record breaking heat we had in central russia along the volga river which caused forest fires in quite a significant scale those fires could have been prevented to a certain extent but only to an extent through timely fire alerts under such climatic conditions the key goal is to extinguish fires within one hour from them starting or at least on the same day. because if the fire is not contained in six hours squall winds occur that make the situation critical the fire becomes either a running crown fire or a high acreage ground fire with winds of up to twenty to twenty five meters per second even thirty meters per second in some regions forest fires turn into fire storms that you know fire service in the world has been able to deal with things like that so far the situation now on the contrary to the second part of your question about fires is far better now than at the same time last year and the

previous years perhaps this is due to the fact all of parties are mobilized and alert in the wake of the great events of late july and august speaking of lessons we can learn from all this we sure are reviewing many postulates and dogmas we used to have before we are considering changes upon the president's orders to russia's forest legislation how exactly did that forest legislation prevent the authorities from fighting fires. well to begin with this function has been delegated to the level of municipalities federal entities and forest department along with fire safety and fire control and forests federal entities were supposed to handle all that work tenders and choose businesses and organizations to protect forests from fires but unfortunately that work was not done well enough in some regions authorities gave contracts to businesses that had neither the equipment nor the staff nor the experience to prevent forest fires in a circle around there so what the. how. can you say that your ministry didn't

everything it could to fight the forest fires or easter something you were displeased with yeah. i think we on our part used as much effort and equipment as possible i can say thank god that through all those years against all odds we kept developing new equipment new aircraft and firefighting systems that helped us a great deal in putting out the forest fires it is perhaps the first time that the entire system of the federal firefighting service has been fully engaged in combating forest fires our zone of responsibility was in residential areas we usually work in towns and villages but this time we had to quickly learn previously unfamiliar ways to talk of high acreage fires especially crown fires on a previously unfamiliar. that's what i began with it's not our function it's the function of the federal forestry agency but when the first fires broke out was in the present informed that wasn't he told that perhaps your ministry should be involved in fighting the fires. when the situation became critical the president

signed a decree that declared a state of emergency that means all federal forces and the ministry of emergency first of all are engaged this is why it took us just two days to establish a task force of nearly one hundred sixty thousand people and almost twenty six thousand units of equipment we also created a large aerial task force with up to fifty aircraft operating simultaneously after all on the third or the fourth day we had begun putting out more fires than there were new ones up to four hundred or five hundred new fires would break out every day and in addition to fighting new fires we had to keep fighting the existing ones so i think the fact that we managed to save some four thousand six hundred residential areas with a total population of more than half a million is a great achievement for our firefighters volunteers local residents and the military who are also someone to help all the people who stood up against the elements in this emergency of course we analyze all our work we exchange experience and advice with our western colleagues i would. like everyone to realize that such

disasters are not nation specific catastrophe is no no borders customs nationalities or religion this is perhaps the most important lesson we should learn from this situation or should we should learn to consolidate our efforts to join forces to give a helping hand to each other and to do our job efficiently but lobsang the problem with so few right more and more disasters touch not only one country or region but sometimes whole continents is there any close warning system how often do you want your foreign counterparts interact with each other more. well ask for far as here in russia we didn't ask for any help but we didn't reject it when it was offered we are grateful to our foreign colleagues who came from one thousand countries to provide help and support it is essential and i point out that once again that a disaster knows no borders or nationalities our top priority is safety and human lives this is the key lesson we got from the situation isn't that. great yes sir

most disasters in russia tend to occur in summer what are they mergence a service is have to be ready for in winter is a woman. in winter we prepare for the spring we have lots of work in winter as well as the country is very big a huge part of russia is in quake prone areas we have several thousand ice river crossings in winter there are places where thousands of trucks cross rivers carrying loads of supplies for the north and remote areas of siberia however the key job we do is to handle serious accidents in the energy sector in heating and generally in sustainment systems if critical situations occur speaking of a work in general there's much effort underway now to help kyrgyzstan and walter providing help to afghanistan and our helicopters and the miners now work in serbia our helicopters are there to help fight forest fires in fact of the last decade we have worked in greece serbia montenegro macedonia italy portugal and many other countries in serbia for example we are demining the grounds for the future south stream gas pipeline it's a big job. hearing the fields of shells bombs and mines from world war two and the

one thousand nine hundred ninety eight zero bombardments of serbia whether it's less at the truth but if we look at it in more global terms there is an impression that natural disasters have become more frequent in russia and elsewhere around the world wildfires are followed by floods and floods are followed by tsunamis what she was prepared for just going to get worse and worse she. said to me as you may know the number of natural disasters has indeed increased over the past twenty years and this increase is significant it's not just my outside impression and indeed this is research carried out by analysts the number of natural disasters is not just up by turkey or fifty percent it's several times more than that everybody knows that here i'd like to warn you against two things first there's always a great desire to use the situation for political purposes this should be avoided the environmental serious politicized so much in russia that it's impossible to see when it's true or when the truth is exploited for political purposes so where

citrus do you think that global warming really exists. you know the climate has changed we can see that just think snow is become common in places where we've never seen it before we see that the permafrost zone keeps melting further we can see the plants that used to bloom once a year are now blossoming two or even three times which soon is going to be more than six months that we've been working on the northern sea route previously the coast ice used to recede for a period from seventy to ninety days today the northern sea route is free from ice for one hundred two hundred fifty days and ships can sail freely in clearwater is this also tells us something firstly i think that the country's leadership under president have made the correct and well wait a decision to carry out serious detailed analysis and secondly our president called for the creation of a global response system to man made an emergency disasters after the gulf of mexico oil disaster and after critical situations in pakistan and in russia french president nicolas sarkozy made similar propose. and that's something we've been

talking about for over ten years that there is a need for a european emergency response system that would use europe's most advanced technologies boston has done the one in particular what you would be doing a noun phrase on the last year or so a number of man made disasters is it all because of the infrastructure built in soviet days that is worn out our way to expect more manmade disasters. of course we're working on that too i wouldn't so an ambiguous free claim that we inherited all the equipment from soviet days and that it's all obsolete and is about to start falling apart piece by piece naturally things become old and need to be modernized but we're doing a lot if we're speaking about manmade accidents a country has adopted a major program for the development of power engineering it provides for the creation of new energy generating capacities and renovating the old ones created in the former u.s.s.r. this is a big and serious project which we're implementing is a large atomic energy program is on the way it's designed to replace soviet nuclear

power units in the period between two thousand and two and two thousand and three was quite difficult and dangerous about time equipment that was already beyond repair was reaching the end of its service life and we have to closely watch all these processes but we're moving forward the countries developing and getting modernized russian legislation is being upgraded a new state of the our technologies are being introduced and safety technologies should develop either simultaneously with the new technologies or even slightly ahead of them to maintain safety and transport and in industries safety matters should be a priority there's all the rest comes after that but when we noted as you've mentioned the oil spill in the gulf of mexico it grew up the global headlines rochelle so it strikes each amounts of oil not only on the surface but also on the sea shelf do we have a system in place at the moment to deal with such accidents. you know we've been closely watching developments in the gulf of mexico naturally our oil extracting companies have also been watching. course they can learn from such an experience

and try to apply it here as for our oil workers i would say that these questions are not the last for them because they actively learn from foreign experience no wonder that they win contests and biddings for oil extraction no wonder they win contests and biddings for oil extraction and the construction of refineries and other facilities necessary for the production of oil and gas that's why i think that this experience is certainly tragic on the one hand but absolutely unique on the other hand i hope that such accidents will never be repeated and if they are then we can be ready for them because it is kind of waiting to opinion polls you've been the most popular minister for the past few years why do you think that. i don't think it's right when an emergency minister is the most popular minister in the country to be used and i believe that artists writers culture and foreign ministers should be the most popular figures whereas in emergencies minister should largely stay unemployed thank you for this interview.

wealthy british. market why not. find out what's really happening to the global economy mix culture no holds barred look at the global financial headlines and tune in to conjure reports on our key.

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the headlines here on our t.v. afghanistan's opium production is slashed in hong but its value goes up with police prisoners among those buying the u.n. report says the decline in supply is due to a disease affecting the country's poppy fields. pakistan blocked nato efforts in afghanistan by shutting down a major supply route it's apparently in response to the killing of a soldier by u.s. helicopters on cross border raids the alliance denies the claims and has begun its own investigation. and the smaller nations are left to talk to you see some of the close of the un general assembly in new york raising questions over its ability to topple global issues the u.s. is being criticized for being a host as the majority of its media left along with those considered the most

important speech. and all of those stories plus more to come at the top of the hour but first here now with the latest sports and kate so another big night of european football hi rory yes tonight is the tennis. pages back to provide the russian interest in europe in the europa league we have all the build up plus the story that's rocking the world of cycling that's coming up next. hello and thank you for joining me for the sports news and here are the headlines european bottle's taste guy and his image fly the flag for russia among those they match your right to make times. while shock result another drug scandal rocks liking a three time tour de france champion how about the contador test positive. and attention maps europe and america get in their final practice rounds as they

prepare to tee off in the thirty eighth ryder cup. but we start with football and to complete this week of european action there are twenty four matches taking place on thursday night in the group stage of the europa league russian premier league leaders it looking for their second win and take on athens and pages bag while they must go to scott face a spot of praga him karina with both sides and to keep their one hundred percent records consistent but off has more. in their first match to his car triumph three nil it's we say towards him with goals from signal in the breeze from wagner live since then and the must go outside continue their winning streak in the russian premier league claiming six points out of six scoring for girls and considering none best for sport they called out at three two victory at home to palermo in their first group match the team from the czech republic is currently second in their domestic league however tears come in edge of the land is well known in

russia for breaking down his opponents tactics and it seems like that thirty nine year old coach is already well prepared for thursday's clash. but what i mean spartan as a disciplined team without any obvious weaknesses that check teams a mixture of youth and experience with established key players as well as talented youngsters so the teams are very balanced in terms of age sparta play quality compact football they have a proper defense and good wing players there are consistent challenge for any team . with just one lead a different sport in my two mindset is kind of their biggest cross city rivals spartak who completed dominated in tuesday's three nil home we know which alina in the champions league but that victory could also motivate the red in blues who are desperate to be form better than their red and white rose angeleno won the battle for the place in the champions league after coming out to be two years in a two legged struggle with sparta silva rivalry continues even if the teams are

playing in different tournament but still to keep play this down. i don't think the match against julian a significant asp are to had many injured and disqualified players elect seven players out of the starting eleven so it's hard to compare these teams if julie no one that means they were the stronger at the time in thursday's match a lot will depend on loans are good and the russian infield has already planned how to break the deadlock. it will be hard to score because the visitors will choose a defensive style of play from the very start i refer sleeze to play carefully and not be so counter-attack and secondly just to play our game and everything will be ok. with zero or two thirds of the russian premier league season go on and with the senate looking on course to be crowned champions third place to scare might be concentrating their efforts more and european rather than domestic success and they

may be in a position to repeat the trend of two thousand and five when they won what was then that we fuck up in spending but out of our team. now there's also a heavyweight clashing group a between manch the city and eventers later on thursday evening city just missed out on champions league football this season but still aim to prove their worth in europe having won their first group game against salzburg while you venters are still looking for their first win following a draw against lech poznan and despite the rebuilding that's going on a uva city manager about the munchie me thinks it'll be a tough match. preventers. is just a repeat right in that there. is a change of manager they change a lot of players but there is always you going to use. to warp because you mean the time to to be seen but it it may be a difficult year. moving to the champions league and rubin managed to hold

barcelona to a one one draw on wednesday night and almost not a last minute winner both goals came from the penalty spot christian group being in the lead after thirty minutes after danny alberts found the tally collection but david v a levels after an out falling foul on fundraised iniesta then later on over femi martins saugus at the hands of the boss is toast so one want it finished leaving the russian side third in group d. behind passer by is needed f.c. copenhagen one to know a path and i cost. elsewhere a samuel eto hat trick saw into milan funk vertebrae mean for nil and that victory puts the defending champions on top of group a just behind them on goal difference of tottenham thanks for one thing when the dutch side if seat then take the money public cenk uygur scored two second half penalties for spurs rafael van the dart sent off of the net a total loss i missed

a penalty gareth bale struck home the fourth goal. for two the first two but it was a war. you couldn't give him so he got pulled. into the floor in the second one you know care of peter fellow like you don't own or of all we've got to play in penalty referred one boy who travelled a long way but over you was a short penalty but you see him given. there's nothing wrong with the very end of our school leaver and it was a great goal of bell at the end main interest to finish. our rangers and manchester united share the lead in group c. rangers recorded a one zero win against all while united took all three points at the ends here of a late breakaway golf having a head on days united had executed their game plan to manager sir alex ferguson. well i think that. has been that it was ingalls who have been

very clear was defending today we had to ensure that we defended probably because it has been a concern and therefore we did so in the position. all the ball and vines about four positions. and finally the french side leo eighteen out of twenty in their domestic league for top of the table after they had a morale boosting three one victory at top well televisa a second following their two no went over twenty. and meanwhile legendary footballer diego maradona has been in moscow to promote a child cancer charity and while he was here he also took the chance to say he wants his old job back as argentina coach he had led argentina to the quarterfinals of the world cup but was then released as coach by the argentina football association after he refused to remove some of his backroom staff he was in the russian capital on wednesday to promote their i use a go which over institute where he was using his football skills to good effect and

he took the opportunity to tell reporters why he wanted to coach is national side once more. i want to go back because i want revenge that's for sure but i'm very thankful to the players because we've reached a very good fifth place at the world cup we failed when germany crossed our way but no matter what we've done a great job at the world cup hopefully the great work will continue and even if i don't get to continue with the side i will remain the number one fan of the argentina national team. moving on and cycling has been rocked by another drug scandal after three time tour de france champion alberto contador has tested positive for a ban stimulant and been suspended from the sport contador has admitted a tiny amount of clenbuterol was found in his system after one of the stages of this year's tour de france where the spaniard went on to win the yellow jersey first time the stimulant based the flow of oxygen in the blood stream and he's now

been suspended by the sport's governing body the u.c.i. contador says he's been the victim of food contamination and will face a two year ban if the set and brutal is concerned. but you have. hospital his way to unprecedented success at the road cycling world championships that are underway in australia the swiss once again left everyone else for dust in his fancy time trial sealing a record fourth title country lara who's also the reigning olympic champion in the event is just over a minute faster than britain's david millar german tony martin caught ten seconds further back to complete the podium in melbourne however it wasn't the race but the shocking news about contador that dominated everybody's thoughts the cyclists backing the fellow rider the moment i think there's a lot of a lot of questions that need to be on said. i one hundred percent give up fully benefits of the doubt because i mean you have to understand these things can be

quite complicated and it's a shame that it is out there when it could be something completely innocent so let's wait and see finally to golf and the tension is growing ahead of the thirty eight ryder cup that tees off on friday as the players involved held their final practice rounds for the usually intense joy between europe and america as ever tiger woods was the center of attention in american world number one once again played with steve stricker the g.a.o. has a one hundred percent record in last year's presidents cup and seems set to be partners again as wildcard selections woods looks to repair his ryder cup record while the european also two words and rory mcilroy is likely to be paired with u.s. open champion graeme mcdowell but whatever the pairings players are on tenterhooks waiting for the battle to commence i'm going to be nervous i think everybody's going to be going to be nervous getting up for. it's hard as a rookie because you don't really know exactly what to expect when you play and. about whether when you get on by your especially when you hear the cup you know

that week you feel i can look. back and know that it was getting less than that but it's getting. you know. and that's all this for an abbott will be about later with another update that hungry for the full story we've got it for the time the biggest issues get the human voice face to face with the news makers.

the headlines here. poppy. opium production. is rising as a result of our. police presence by. nato in afghanistan. major supply apparently universe to the killing of its soldiers by . smaller nation. to empty seats at the close of the un general assembly raising questions over its ability to tackle global issues.

hot of moscow this is welcome to the program the u.n. says a global opium production has dropped by nearly hoff this year however it's nothing to do with the war on drugs rather a puppy eating virus in afghanistan the world's largest exporter but the survey warns against celebrating any kind of victory over the killer crop opium prices have nearly triple the fields a still the same size the heroin producing harvest is the main source of income for taliban militants and they retain a stronghold in the drug rich southern provinces of afghanistan despite a massive nato effort on the drug issue is expected. because as. reports many afghan police.